Tray table



Jan. 18, 1949. w. E. JOGWICK ETAL 2,459,529

TRAY-TABLE Filed Feb. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ii ijl l Widoawlcxa FIG. 5 .EHMCMUCHW Jan. 18, 1949. w, JOGWICK r 2,459,529

TRAY-TABLE Filed Feb. 15, 1946 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 18, 1949 .-un1-rao stare-2s PATIENT o FFliCE i Jogwick, Parlmrshungaand EliQHi McLaughlin, Vienna, W. Va.

" Application February 15, 194$,S'i'ifllN0. 647341 1 .1 i 1 invention relatestosa tray tablegand unore particularly to a novel structure-adapted to be used either as a tray or table.

An important-tobject or the inventioniis to'provide a device of the character referred toihaving a body in the form of aitrayor the like and having associated therewith a plurality of legs adapted to rbelreadily released by. the finger of' theoperatonwhile holdingwthe trayato move downwardly to asupporting position whereby the device is usable as asmallttabletin the natureaof acofiee table.

.Af-urther-objectiis to provide a .novel tray-table having legs normally folded I out .of the way against-the bottom of the tray body, and to providemveloperating .meanswadjacent the respective endsflof the tray body Ior swinging the legs downwardly to operative positions and ifor.swing ing them-upwardly into horizontal-..inoperative positionsadjacent the bottomofthe tray body. a

A further object is to provide novel means for latching the legs in either operative or inoperative positions, the means ionmoving thelgS between suchpositions being operative foriniti'ally releasing the latching means.

A furtherobject is to provide a device of the character just referred to wherein "lever devices are employed-for moving *the legs, and wherein such=devices initially act as cams to release the latching means iwhereupon the lever fmeans become operat'ive for swinging the legs to'the desired *positions.

Qther objects and advantages of the; invention willwbecome apparent during the course rif the following description.

In ithedrawi-ngs we have shown one embodimentof the invention. Inthisshowing: M Figure 1 is a perspective View of the device in positiontto be .usedas a table,

Figure 2 is a section taken substantiallyon line 2-2 of Figure 1, y

f Figure 3 is an enlarged.ifragmentaryend'view of a portion of the .traybody showin'gtheends oi" the operatinglever elements,

Figure '4 is a bottom plan view oifthe. device showing thelegs folded to inoperative positions, fl 'i'gure 5 is "an enlarged longitudinal sectional view "on line 5-5 of Figure '4; parts being broken away, and the operating*p'artsbeing shown in the position they will occupy with the legs "folded, Figure -'6 isa-similar view chimed-#6 "ofFig ure 4, parts being-shown in elevation and p'arts being broken away, the legs and associated elemerits' being shown inoperative positionsp'and,

Figure '7 is adetaiil at perspectiveview or a pair E3-Cl-aims. (Cl. 311%59 Referring: to the -drawing-s, the numeral P0 -designates the tray or table bodyas a whole which is preferably, but not necessarily, formed of molded material, such as one or the plastics now commonly iemployedrior making furniture and similar articles. The-body ll comprises a top H surrounded by an integral upwardly extending pontion .I'Z serving as a iretainin'g flange around the tray or table .top. iOutwardly of the portion l2, the material iforming the tray or table top extends downwardly to form :a flange along oppositesi'des of the table while at the ends of the device:similarwflanges :45 are formed The flanges [4 may extend inwardly and downwardly as at lG iFigure 2).

The body 10 is preierably provided beneaththe top; H with :an integral stiffening member I 8 which, adjacent the ends. of the top. 10, cdivides as at: I9: (Figures .-2 and 4) .to provide a space 20 adjacentyopposite ends of the device in which certain;=operating ipaits to be referred to are arranged.

'Ilhegpair of members I9 at each end 'of the table or tray are associated with elements to bodescribedand since the :elements :at each end of the :device are identical, only one set 'needwbe described in detail. Each pair of members 19 act ascrbeauings to support a shaft 22 extending transversely: aof the table, the ends ofthis shaft extending through openings 23 in the skirt l4 tolerates-bearings for the ends of theshaft. Adjacent-each side of the body Ni, each shaft 12 earries amair; of-col-lars 124 having projections:.25 emtending into the adjacent ends of tubularlegs 25.- The collarsdd' -andllegs ZBrmayb'eof any desiredvtype,-.and zthe collars-zzt definitely may be split *down through the'projections 2'5 :and the spliti-collarszmay be clampedto each shaft 22- as ati2l.

Within each :spaoe ,is arranged a collarvisfl grooved as at-3:! between annular. flanges 32. The col'lar 3.0 may the fixed to its shaft 221 by a set screw .33 zor any other suitable means.

= The igroove sl of ea'chcollar EII has arranged therein one end o'f-a lever 36 provided with a finger pieoeor handle '3: projecting through a groove 38' formed in the material from which the body l 0 "is-molded, the portion of the material in which the gro'ove 38 is formed-being extended ou'twardly-toform a handle?!) at each end of the tableflSuoh -handle preferabl-y has its top'surface curved downwardly and outwardly as clearly shown in Figures "1, 5and 6. Each lever 36 is pivoted to the associated collar 30 by'a' transverse pin-1'2 extending'through the flanges "32. "The portion of the lever within the groove 3| curves around the portion of the collar forming the bottom of the recess 3| normally out of contact therewith to provide for limited turning movement of each lever 36 about the axis of its pin 42. Each lever 36 is grooved as at 44 to reduce the width of the portion of the lever within the groove 31 so that such portion of the lever is of a thickness not over one-half of the width of the groove 3|.

A second lever element 46 is arranged in each groove 3| and has one of its ends mounted on a pin 41, similar to the pin 42, and extending 7 through the associated flanges 32. At its opposite end, each lever 46 is provided with a finger piece 48, and intermediate its ends, each lever 46 is grooved as at 49 so that the portionof such The latch device comprises an elongated leaf' spring 50 secured intermediate the length of the body ID to the reinforcing rib I8, as at 5|, (Figures 5 and 6). From the securing members to its ends, the spring 53 is free and such ends exert an upward force. The spring ends are turned upwardly as at 52 to selectively enter notches 53 or 54 formed in the flanges 32 of the collars 30.

Depending upon which notches are engaged by 1 the spring ends '52, the legs 26 will be held either in the inoperative positions shown in Figure 4 or in the operative positions shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6. It will be noted that the legs 26 of one end of the device are spaced a slightly greater distace than those at the other end, thus permitting one set of legs to swing in between the other set when the legs are in their inoperative positions, as shown in Figure 4.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Used as a tray, the device is light and easily transported merely by grasping the handles 39. If it is desired to use the device as a table, the operator need merely depress the finger pieces 48. With the legs in folded or inoperative positions, the lever devices 36 and 46 will occupy the positions shown in Figure 5. In such positions of the parts, the spring ends 52 will engage the notches 53 and a portion of each lever device 46, at a point spaced from its pivot 41, will con- Each lever 46 also operates around the tact the adjacent spring end 52, such spring end bridging across each of the grooves 3| as shown in Figure 2. Accordingly, when the finger pieces 48 are depressed while supporting the body of the device above the floor, lever devices 46 will swing to depress the spring ends 52 and release them from the notches 53. The legs 26 will then. swing downwardly by gravity through slightly more than a 90 degree turn to operative positions shown in Figures 1 and 6. When such positions of the legs are reached the notches 54 will move into registration with the spring ends 52, whereupon the latter snap into notches 54, thus limiting further turning movement of the legs. Such engagement of the spring ends 52 in the notches 54 fixes the legs against turning movement in either direction. from operative position, thus rendering the device ready for use as a rigidly supported table. 3 c

When the legs swing to the operative positions 4 referred to, rotation of the collars 30 will move the lever elements to the positions shown in Figure 6. The lever elements rotate bodily with their associated collars 39 because of the limited turning movement of the levers relative to their pivot pins.

The operation of returning the legs to inoperative positions may be performed very easily while supporting the device by the handles 39. With the fingers of the two hands arrangedbeneath the handles 39, the operator may place his thumb over the lever ends 31 to turn the lever elements 36. This operation initially rocks the levers 36 on their pivots 42, turning movement of the levers 36 being permitted to a limited extent before the levers contact with the bottoms of the grooves 3|. Such limited turning movement of the levers 36 causes the ends thereof to cam the spring ends 52 out of the notches 54. Such turning movement of the left hand lever 36 in Figure 6 takes place in a counter-clockwise direction while the other lever 36 turns in a clockwise direction. a

.After the spring ends 52 have been disengaged fromthe notches 54, points on the lever 36 a little above the pivot pins 42 will engage the bottoms of the grooves 3| to prevent further turning movement of the levers independently of the collars 30. Further forces transmitted to the handles 31 to tend to turn the levers 33 in the directions referred to will then transmit rocking movement to the collars 30 and the legs may be swung upwardly to their horizontal positions. When. such positions are reached, the spring ends 52 will snap into the notches 53 to support the legs in inoperative positions. The device thereupon may be used or transported as a tray.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present'device may be readily used either as a tray or'table. Food stuffs may be placed on the tray H when the device is used as atray, whereupon the device may be carried to any desired point and, While holding the body I0 in a horizontal portion above the floor, the operator may;

depressthefinger pieces 48, to drop the legs to theiroperative positions. When the use of the. device as a table has been finished, the operator; may merely lift the device by the handles 39 .to move the legs themselves vertically from the floor, whereupon the thumbs of the operatorshands may be readily employed for swinging the legs to inoperative positions. The device thereupon quickly becomes atray which may be readily carried out of the room.

The device may be economically manufactured and in practice is of highly ornamental appearance. The entire body of the device may be readily made of molded plastic of any desired color.

We claim:

1. A tray-table comprising a normally horizontal body, parallel shafts arranged beneath said body each adjacent one end thereof, a pair of legs fixed to each shaft to swing therewith, said legs being movable between inoperative positions.

by said legs will swing downwardlybygravity to,

said operative positions, said latch devices being operative when said legs are in said operative positions for preventing turning movement of said shafts, and an operating lever associated with each shaft and having a portion engageable with its latch device whereby initial turning movement of said operating levers in one direction will release said latch devices, said operating levers having mechanical connection with said shafts whereby turning movement of said operating levers in said direction, after said latch device has been released, will swing said legs to said inoperative positions.

2. A tray-table comprising a normally horizontal body, a rocking structure comprising a shaft beneath said body adjacent each end thereof, and a pair of legs fixed to each shaft, each shaft being rockable whereby its associated legs are adapted to swing between inoperative positions adjacent and parallel to said body and operative positions projecting downwardly from said body to support the latter as a table, each of said rockable structures having a pair of notches circumferentially spaced from each other, a spring finger engageable in one notch of each rockable structure when said legs are in said inoperative positions and engageable in the other notch of such rockable structure when said legs are in said operative positions, a lever device pivoted to each rockable structure and bodily movable therewith, each lever device being engageable with the adjacent spring finger to release it from the slot with which it is engaged when said legs are in said inoperative positions, and an operating lever pivotally connected to each rockable structure and bodily movable therewith and having limit-ed turning movement relative thereto, each operating lever being engageable with the adjacent spring finger and operative during its said limited movement for releasing said finger from said rockable structure, each operating lever being thereafter operative for bodily turning its rockable structure to move said legs from said operative positions to said inoperative positions.

3. A tray-table comprising a normally horizontal body, a rockable structure including a shaft beneath and adjacent each end of said body, said shafts being parallel to each other, a pair of legs carried by each shaft and movable therewith between inoperative positions adjacent and parallel to said body and operative positions: projecting downwardly from said body to support it, a collar carried by each shaft, each collar having a pair of circumferentially-spaced notches, a spring finger selectively engageable in the notches of each collar when the associated legs are respectively in their inoperative and operative positions, a lever device pivoted to each collar and engageable with the associated spring finger to release it from the notch which it engages when said legs are in said inoperative positions where by said legs swing downwardly by gravity to their operative positions, and an operating lever pivoted to each collar for bodily movement therewith and having limited turning movement relative thereto, each operating lever being engageable with the associated spring finger and operable during said limited movement for moving such spring finger from the notch with which it is engaged when said legs are in said operative positions, said operating levers being thereafter operative through said collars to turn said shafts and swing said legs from said operative to said inoperative positions.

WALTER E. JOGWICK.

ELI H. MCLAUGHLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,203,783 Reischmann Nov. 7, 916 0 1,221,788 Bilton Apr. 3, 1917 4 1,226,324 Gage May 15, 1917 1,583,999 Scheibe et a1. May 11, 1926 2,223,068 Howe Nov. 26, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 380,016 Great Britain Sent. 8. 1932 

